


Ghosts

by aqueentorattlestars



Series: ACOTAR Halloween [4]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 07:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12271635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqueentorattlestars/pseuds/aqueentorattlestars
Summary: Elain hates Halloween and comes up with any excuse that she can to avoid attending the festivities.





	Ghosts

Lying was a game that Elain would never master. Nor did she ever desire to bend truths to her will and deceive those she cared the most about. Yet… She had managed to tangle herself in a web of lies this night. All in the hopes of avoiding Halloween altogether.   
  
Feyre—and even Azriel—had asked her on more than one occasion to attend the ball; each time she had managed to avoid giving a direct answer. Until that morning. The moment she heard a knock on her door, Elain knew who it was and what they wanted. Feyre, persistent as ever in getting Elain to join in the extravaganza.   
  
An actress, Elain played up feeling ill. She was impressed by her own skill as innocent, doe-brown eyes convinced Feyre that it was simply best that she stay in for the night and use the quiet to help recover from this little cold.

It was a paltry excuse. Yet, it had worked like a charm. For this one instance… It was easier to lie to everyone than to try to explain her irrational fear for the last day of October.

All the lights in her residence had been turned off, save for a few fae lights in the living room, and Elain was settled in to enjoy the security of a sweet, romantic book.  It had been nearly an hour past dusk when a light knocking came at her door, a muffled male voice asking if she were accepting company. Lucien.   
  
It was as if the rest of her senses came alive in the presence of the male. His presence called to her. Nearly floating across the foyer, Elain opened the door to let him in, “Lucien?”  
  
Russet eye looked down at Elain, a soft smile on his face as he held a small container of soup in his hands, “I, um, heard you were unwell… I thought I would give you some company… And take care of you, if you would allow me.”

Her smile was like the first rays of summer sun, brightening the room and nearly making his centuries old heart stop from the sheer beauty in it as Elain said, “Of course. It’s very kind of you, Lucien. Please, come in..”  
  
Sitting down, Lucien looked over the quaint loveliness of Elain Archeron’s apartment. A smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he observed, “No skeletons for décor?”  
  
A blush crept onto her cheeks while Elain smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress, holding the book she had been reading to her chest, “Oh, well… No. It’s silly. You’ll laugh at me—”  
  
“I promise I won’t.”  
  
Honesty lined his voice and Elain felt something caress against her mind—peace brushing its tender fingers down her soothingly. “Alright, you promised not to laugh, remember,” she began, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, “Halloween scares me. I don’t like the costumes and some of the decorations are downright vile… I try to avoid it every year. Ghosts, Goblins and the like are horrifying to think about—much less celebrate.”

The golden orb of his eye widened and Lucien replied, “May I be frank with you? I’ve always hated it, too. I’ve never understood the concept of wishing to be someone else for a night… Or some _thing_ else.”  
  
“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”   
  
“No, dear Elain, I am not. I’m being sincere.”   
  
The smile grew in strength on her beautiful face as she leaned in, sparks of excitement leaping down that bond that was still foreign and frightening to the both of them, “Do you like to play card games?”

A laugh parted from Lucien—a deep rumbling when he inclined his head, ever the courtier, “I’ve had my own fair share of experience with a few games.”  
  
“Excellent!” she chirped gleefully, getting up to go and grab a deck of cards, “We can play together. A _much_ better alternative to what’s going on outside. And can you tell me some stories? I love stories—happy ones. Happily ever afters.”

Fascinated, Lucien watched as Elain shuffled the deck, “Happily ever afters? Hm.. I think I know of a story or two like that. Once upon a time, there was a fair maiden who was as lovely as the first rose of summer…”

 


End file.
